


The Ties That Bind

by shallowness



Category: Scorpion (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M, POV Outsider, Ties & Cravats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:14:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26193964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shallowness/pseuds/shallowness
Summary: Ralph observes a morning ritual.
Relationships: Paige Dineen/Walter O'Brien
Kudos: 24





	The Ties That Bind

**Author's Note:**

> Speculative future fic, written after watching ‘Satellite of Love’. (I haven’t seen beyond season 2, but I know that season 2 wardrobe choices joss this.)

Ralph has become accustomed to the new living arrangements. He finds it’s very efficient to have Walter around so much to answer his questions until Ralph’s mom says ‘Enough’, and it’s bedtime.

Walter has referred to their residence as ‘home’ on three separate occasions in Ralph’s presence and smiled back at Ralph’s mom when he did so>in front of her the last time.

There are other patterns that Ralph is aware of, like the one he is waiting to observe this morning. It’s almost in the nature of a ritual. Despite never appearing to have difficulty dressing himself previously, unless if he was injured or otherwise impaired, Walter’s tie is hanging loose around his neck as he walks into Ralph’s mother’s eyeline. Ralph watches, trying to collect more data points to explain this pattern. He is not sure if it’s something he wants to ask the adults about.

“Having some difficulties?” Ralph’s mother asks, with a smile.

“I could do with some assistance,” Walter answers, staring at her. Even the first time he observed this, when he wanted to interrupt and raise the unlikelihood of Walter finding such a task beyond him, Ralph had, for a reason he can’t explain to his satisfaction, stayed quiet. His mother must know that Walter could do it without aid. Walter must be aware of it, and yet he has repeatedly said something similar at this point in proceedings.

Once again, she steps towards Walter and does up his tie without any comment. Walter’s posture doesn’t change, and his focus remains on Ralph’s mother.

This is a time when Ralph never asks a question of Walter or his mom. He suspects he wouldn’t get an answer, or might have to repeat himself. Ralph knows what it is to be absorbed in a problem, but not in a person.

She neatens the collar and her hand slides down to rest on the left side of Walter’s chest.

“There,” she says. “All done.”

“Thank you,” Walter replies, thanking her for doing something Ralph can and has managed to do unaided for three years and seven months.

Ralph stops watching then, because he knows what happens next, and with his excellent memory, some things don’t need to be watched repeatedly.

They’ll separate eventually and the rest of the morning’s activities will follow in order.


End file.
